


Forbidden Fruit

by FrankenSpine



Series: Scarytales [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: And Now For Something Completely Different, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Biblical Themes (Abrahamic Religions), Demons, F/F, Forbidden Fruit, I just turned a meme into a creepypasta, Paranormal, Scoliosis, With A Twist, based on a meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-09-01 00:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20249083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankenSpine/pseuds/FrankenSpine
Summary: Struggling to pay her rent and suffering from immense pain from scoliosis, Emma moves from her apartment in Boston to a much smaller one in Storybrooke, Maine. The place is surprisingly-cheap, because as it turns out, it's haunted by a demon. The demon tries to possess Emma, only to realize just how much the poor woman is suffering.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The meme this is based on is from the SwanQueen Fanfiction group on FB. It's meant to be funny, and that's how I originally intended to write the story, but I realized it was actually kind of sad, so that's how the story turned out. It also gets a little dark. Fair warning. I still like the direction I took. I hope you like it, too. I'll include the meme in a separate chapter. 
> 
> Also, the scoliosis bit is just something I took from my own life. I've had the surgery, and recovery was *painful* but 100% worth it. Scoliosis sucks, although mine wasn't nearly as bad as Emma's, but it could have been if I didn't have the operation.

The pain began not long after Emma turned thirteen. The horrible, crippling pain. She took ibuprofen every few hours, and although it eased her pain, it didn’t eliminate her agony.

She suffered in silence.

It was only when she noticed the entire right side of her back was swollen beyond measure that she brought this to the attention of her parents. She had no idea what was going on, and that terrified her.

That was when the doctor visits began. Driving three hours out of state, just for five-to-ten-minute appointments. It was expensive. It was frustrating. It was a living Hell. Emma’s family wasn’t exactly the wealthiest bunch, but they did everything they could to make ends meet. With the insurance they had, and what little money they made, there was no way they could pay for surgery. It wounded her parents to see the pain she was in, but there was nothing they could do, and that broke them.

Now, at twenty-five years-old, Emma Swan was in that same state of affairs. She lived in an apartment in Boston. At least, she _used to._ Now she was forced to move, as she was unable to afford it any longer, and she wanted to try saving up her money for a future surgery to finally fix her spine.

She was going to live in a beautiful but affordable apartment in Storybrooke, Maine. It was right along the ocean and was a quiet, secluded town, away from the noise and the chaos of the city.

It was perfect.

She didn’t understand why the place was so cheap until she started experiencing some rather _strange_ things. She would put something down, turn away for just a moment, and then turn back to find it either somewhere else in the apartment, or just missing altogether. That was only the beginning, it seemed.

Things became more bizarre as time went on. One night in particular, while Emma was in the shower, she felt like she wasn’t alone. She swore she felt someone breathing on the back of her neck and swiftly turned to see who it could have been.

No one was there.

She brushed it off, telling herself it was probably just the steam from the hot water cascading down her misshapen back. Hot showers always seemed to soothe her pain better than medication ever could.

The next night, she had another inexplicable experience. After climbing into bed, she felt a dip in the mattress beside her, and there was no brushing this off. She couldn’t blame it on steam this time. No. This was something else. Something she had never seen before.

Then came the third night in the apartment.

Emma felt a sudden wave of nausea wash over her. Her heart was ablaze with primal fury. She didn’t understand what was happening to her. She felt angrier than she’d ever felt before, and she had no idea where it was coming from, or why it was happening. Then, as though someone had flipped a switch, her rage turned to a deep sense of sorrow and guilt.

Emma gasped, sobbing openly as the air around her began to fill up with thick, purple fog. When it cleared, she found herself staring into the sunken eyes of a horrid creature that was crouched upon the bed, just watching her like a hawk.

“W-What?” she rasped, “What the hell are you?”

The creature spoke, but its mouth did not move. **_“Your body is not fit for possession. Your pain is unbearable. Never have I encountered a human who suffered as you do. What is your name, mortal?”_**

The blonde struggled to find her voice. “It’s— It’s Emma,” she said, “Emma Swan.”

_**“Emma Swan,”**_ the creature hissed, **_“I am the guardian of this place.”_**

“The guardian? Are you a demon?”

_ ** “That is correct.”** _

“Are you gonna hurt me?”

The demon was quiet for a moment. **_“No. You are in enough pain. I will do you no harm, Emma Swan.” _**

“I gave you my name,” said Emma, “now tell me yours.”

_ **“If I told you my true name, it would drive you mad, and you would beg for the cold kiss of Death.” ** _

“Then, um, what do I call you?”

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the ghastly demon assumed the form of a dark-haired beauty with serpentine eyes and olive skin. She smiled faintly at Emma with her painted, ruby lips.

_“You can call me Regina.” _

And so, as time went on, Emma’s life seemed to get better, despite having a demon living in her apartment, but the haunting didn’t end at the door. No. Regina was able to follow Emma all through the town, but no one else seemed to notice the black-clad brunette trailing after the limping blonde like a shadow.

One evening, after dinner, Emma was confronted by Regina about her condition.

“Tell me, Emma,” said the demon, “what is it that brings you such pain?”

“Scoliosis,” Emma said softly, “My spine’s arched like a bow. It’s gotten so bad that I can hardly stand up on my own.”

Regina regarded the blonde with remorse. “I can heal you,” she said, “for a price.”

Emma swallowed. “A price? You mean like money?”

“No. I have no need for such a thing,” said Regina, “Even though the possession was temporary, I still managed it. For that reason, I will forever be a part of you, Emma Swan. My price is simple: I wish for you to kiss me.”

Emma was visibly taken aback. “Kiss you? That’s it?”

The demon nodded. “That’s it.”

“Can I ask why?”

“You just did,” said Regina, “and it’s because kissing me will prevent other demons from trying to possess you. Since I have refrained from taking over your mind, the others will certainly try, but if you kiss me, you will be safe.”

“You want to protect me? Why?”

Regina lifted Emma’s chin gently with her clawed fingers. “Because, my dear,” she murmured, “You are the first human I have ever possessed.” She smiled softly. “And you are my only friend.”

Emma looked into her bright, snakelike eyes in search of deception, but found none.

“Okay,” murmured the blonde.

She slowly pressed her lips to Regina’s, and as she did, they suddenly felt numb. It was like someone had rubbed an ice-cube against her lips, but somehow it was comforting. When she pulled away, she found Regina staring into her eyes with what looked like affection.

“Thank you, my little human,” the demon murmured, “You have upheld your end of the bargain. Now I shall uphold mine.”

She turned Emma around and placed her hands upon the woman’s back, closing her eyes and murmuring something in a language Emma didn’t understand.

Emma felt no change. She turned and frowned. “I thought you said you would heal me. Why isn’t it working?”

“It _is_ working,” Regina assured her, “It simply takes time. You must be patient, dear Emma.”

“Okay,” Emma said quietly, “I’ll try my best.”

Regina smiled and nodded. “Good.”

With the passage of time, Emma’s condition _did_ improve. She no longer suffered as she once did. Her posture was much better and her pain was almost nonexistent. She walked with only the slightest limp now. She found a well-paying job as an editor for the local paper, the _Storybrooke Daily Mirror,_ grateful that no manual labor was required.

Each night, as she climbed beneath the covers, she would feel Regina’s presence manifest into a physical form, slithering up beside her like a serpent. The demon seemed to be able to hear her thoughts, which didn’t unsettle her the way it probably should have.

“Yes,” Regina murmured, “I _was_ the serpent in the Garden of Eden. It was not my father. He played no part in that particular incident. It was entirely my doing.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because, my dear,” said the demon, “like you, I found myself drawn to Eve. I tempted her with my _forbidden fruit._ She partook in an act of pleasure— of free will— and for that, she was cursed with eternal punishment. Even after all this time, I still regret it.”

Emma was quiet for a moment. “Have you ever been with any other humans?”

“Of course,” said Regina, “Once, long ago, I seduced a man called Daniel. For this, he was cast into the den of lions. The Good Book tells the tale _quite_ differently, but only because the men who wrote the scriptures found it _unpalatable.” _

“So did he really survive?”

Regina nodded. “He did,” she said somberly, “and in return for the Mighty One sparing him, he was to never so much as_ think_ of me again. I watched him from afar as he lived out his days. There was no longer any joy in his eyes after that. His lifetime was seventy years, and though it seemed like an eternity to him, to me, it was a mere blink of an eye.”

“Did you love him?”

The demon sighed. “My kind are incapable of love.”

“Says who?”

“The Almighty.”

Emma planted a soft kiss upon Regina’s cheek. “Why don’t we prove Him wrong then, eh?”

Regina smiled. “I think that’s a _marvelous_ idea,” she murmured. Her serpentine eyes were aflame with desire. “What do you say, _Em-ma?”_ she purred, “Would you like to taste my forbidden fruit?”

Heat rose in Emma’s cheeks, just as a rush of warm wetness pooled between her thighs. “Yeah,” she rasped, “I think I would.”

The demon’s smile stretched into a grin. “Then by all means,” she husked.

She flicked her tongue against Emma’s ear, and it felt like that of a snake. A quiet hiss escaped her, but it was more soothing than menacing. She slid an arm around Emma and pulled the blonde closer to her. She had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

_And it was._

~ ~ ~

After three months, Emma went to Boston to visit her parents, and she did so with a spring in her step. Needless to say, her parents were in awe.

“Emma? What happened?” asked her mother, “You aren’t limping anymore!”

“Did you have the surgery?” her father quizzed, “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“No surgery, Dad,” she said with a smile, “I suppose you could call it a miracle.”

“I’ll say! This is fantastic, Emma!” he told her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “You know, I’ve never been much of a believer, but I certainly am now.”

“I’d be careful about who I put my faith in, if I were you,” said the blonde, “Looks can be deceiving.”

She excused herself and headed to the bathroom, and as she passed by the mirror, she paused. A smirk crept its way onto her lips, and her eyes flickered from green to bright yellow, unblinking like those of a serpent.

“Isn’t that right, _Em-ma?”_


	2. The Meme That Inspired Me




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